FACTSHEET
Plagiarism
One of the most common types of publication misconduct is plagiarism–when one author
deliberately uses another's work without permission, credit, or acknowledgment. Plagiarism takes
different forms, from literal copying to paraphrasing some else's work and can include:
■
Data
■
Words and Phrases
■
Ideas and Concepts
Plagiarism has varying different levels of severity, such as:
■ How much of someone's work was taken–a few lines, paragraphs, pages, the full article?
■ What was copied–results, methods, or introduction section?
When it comes to your work, always remember that crediting the work of others (including your advisor’s or your own previous work) is a critical
part of the process. You should always place your work in the context of the advancement of the field, and acknowledge the findings of others on
which you have built your research.
Guide to Plagiarism and How to Prevent It*
Action
What is it?
Is it unethical?
What should you do?
Literal Copying
Reproducing a work word for word,
in whole or in part, without
permission and acknowledgment of
the original source.
Yes.
Literal copying is only acceptable if
you reference the source and put
quotation marks around the copied
text.
■
Substantial
copying
This can include research materials,
processes, tables, or equipment.
Yes.
"Substantial" can be defined as both
quantity and quality of what was
copied. If your work captures the
essence of another's work, it should be
cited.
■
Paraphrasing
Reproducing someone
else's ideas while not copying word
for word, without permission and
acknowledgment of the original
source.
Yes.
Paraphrasing is only acceptable if you
properly reference the source and
make sure that you do not change the
meaning intended by the source.
■
Text-recycling
Reproducing portions of an author's
own work in a paper, and resubmitting it for publication as an entirely
new paper.
Yes.
See our separate factsheet on
duplicate submission.
■
Keep track of sources you used while researching
and where you used it in your paper.
■ Make sure you fully acknowledge and properly
cite the original source in your paper.
■ Use quotation marks around word-for-word text
and reference properly.
Ask yourself if your work has benefited from the
skill and judgment of the original author?
■ The degree to which you answer “yes” will
indicate whether substantial copying has taken
place.
■ If so, be sure to cite the original source.
Make sure that you understand what the original
author means.
■ Never copy and paste words that you do not fully
understand.
■ Think about how the essential ideas of the source
relate to your own work, until you can deliver the
information to others without referring to the
source.
■ Compare your paraphrasing with the source, to
make sure you retain the intended meaning,
even if you change the words.
Put anything in quotes that is taken directly from
a previously published paper, even if you are
reusing something in your own words.
■ Make sure to reference the source accordingly.
*When in doubt, always consult with your professor, advisor, or someone in a position of authority who can guide you to the right course of action.
References
1. Committee on Publication Ethics Guidelines on Good Publication Practice. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). 1999. Accessed: June 15, 2012.
2. Elsevier. Publishing Ethics Resource Kit (PERK). Available at: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/editorshome.editors/Introduction. Accessed: June 11, 2012.
Elsevier | Ethics in Research & Publication
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